


Of hurting backs and healing hands

by SkyBlitz



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Love, Feelings? What feelings?, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Jason Todd is So Done, No beta we die like Jay, hurting Dickie, soft fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:33:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27164602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyBlitz/pseuds/SkyBlitz
Summary: “..it makes me remember-“ Dick started softly “- remember that these burns, and bruises, and cuts are a small price to pay for having all of you in my life.”Or:where Dick has back pain and starts getting all soft and Jason is the only sensible sibling that has to deal with the outcome. Emotional roller coaster ahead
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd
Comments: 10
Kudos: 84





	Of hurting backs and healing hands

It started one early evening when it was time to loosen up a bit, to slow down a never-ending battle with the outer world. A rare time for rest. All four brothers stayed in a big guest room playing on a game console. Well, the two youngest were, the other two were laying lazily on the large leather couch, watching and cheering for the chosen party. 

It was way after midnight when youngsters started to doze off. “Well,” said Jason, standing and stretching “time for pipsqueaks to head to bed” 

“Dames won’t sleep until he beats me. And by experience, I can say, that it will only end bloodily” yawned Tim. The smallest retorted sleepily “You are not worth the effort, Drake. I can win with both eyes closed” Tim smirked, “You mean, in your dreams?” 

“Okay, that’s enough. C’mon, baby birds, up we go” Jason came close to them and pinched the skin on the base of both necks. “Hey, Jason, what the hell?” “Todd, how dare you touch me wi-“ Damian was almost ready to leap at his bigger brother when Dick interfered “ Dami, hey, relax. Jason just being nice. Or trying.”

“Hey, -“  
“Anyway,-“ Dick interrupted again, voice playful “- it’s really late, we should head upstairs. And Dami?” Damian’s angry stare landed on eldest “- no rematches, okay? Last time it ended with two broken fingers and dozen of bruises.” Jason couldn’t help but laugh. It wasn’t a real battle, just an accident. 

“It wasn’t my fault Drakes skills of self-defence were that low-“  
“Yeah? Then who got out of it with broken fingers?”  
“Guys, just stop and go.” Jason was a bit surprised that Dick still hasn’t left the couch and walked kids back to their rooms. 

With heavy sighs and friendly jabs, Tim and Damian left the room. 

And Dick still hasn’t moved even an inch, laying stiffly. Strange. 

“an’ you, Big Bird? Have something else to do?” Asked Jason. “No, I’ll go in a minute.” Jason eyed his older brother closely, searching for any visible clues. He didn’t even show any of his usual (annoying, if you ask Jason) act of affection: no hugs, no ruffled hair, no brother kisses. Nothing. 

‘Okay, Dicky, if you wanna play that game, both can play it.’ 

“Dicky, won’t you give a hug to your sweet baby brother before sleep?” He said in a sicking sweet voice. 

The expression on Dick face mixed into something both grimacing and smiling. Blue eyes sharpened, with a realization of being caught. 

The acrobat tried to get up but only succeeded in raising himself on 10 sm before once more his body hit the couch. 

Bingo. 

“Don’t you want to tell me something, Dickhead?” Jason was coming closer “might it be, that someone escaped Alfred’s eye, hmm?” He stopped at the edge of the couch. “There are no witnesses to your act of martyrdom, so spill” 

“Jay, it’s alright, just a bit sore back-“ Jason stayed unimpressed. This was a battle Dick knew he couldn’t win. He sighed “alright, I got hit with electroshock of some kind, I don’t know, I didn’t see it”

“Ah, so finally, some of your colleagues from your police department were done with you?” Jason smirked 

“Ha-ha, very funny, Jayson. Now stop being an asshole and an invalid to get to bed” even though he tried to sound offended, his smile was warm and genuine. 

“And that’s how you ask people for help, Dick? My, my, where are your manners? Alfred would be disappointed” 

Dick only snorted as Jason helped him to get up and escorted to his bedroom. Once in, the younger threw his brother unceremoniously on the bed. Dick landed with a “puff”. 

He whined, “And that’s how you treat your older loving brother?” 

“Maybe I would have treated you alternatively if you stopped being such a hypocrite - the first to help others, but the last to get checked himself” gaze accusing but still with a spark of caring. “Jay, it isn’t something you have to fuss over, it’s a small bruise nothing more.”

“Yeah, that small, that you couldn’t even stand by yourself and walk, what? 30 meters?” Now annoyance colours his voice. 

“It’s nothing really” and Jason can only heave an exasperated sigh. “I would never endanger any of you by neglecting my health,” he said in a low voice. 

The sudden seriousness of the moment surprised Jason a bit. He looked at his brother thoughtful face and distant eyes. 

“It just..” he stuttered “ every time something like this happens... it makes me..” he went silent for a several seconds, probably looking for correct words. Jason knew better than interrupt. 

“..it makes me remember-“ Dick started softly “- remember that these burns, and bruises, and cuts are a small price to pay for having all of you in my life.” 

If Jason was kinda shocked by the sudden revelation, he didn’t show it. 

«Dickie, if you are a masochist, don’t try to mask it as brotherly love, okay? That’s disgusting»

The elder only chuckled softly. 

«If I get myself killed, who will look after my reckless baby brothers?»

“Oh, now you are the one to talk.” He poked at the blue-ish bruise on Dick’s back, getting a low moan from the other as a response. And he did not regret that flicker of pain in elder’s eyes, nope, not one bit. 

“If this insignificant pain is all I have to give in order to have all of you here...” - at that moment his eyes became as sharp as blue ice, freezing Jason on the spot - «...to have you here, Jay, alive and whole... it’s a fine deal”

And all Jason could do was to breath, but after words sunk down, even breathing became a problem. He couldn’t remember when was the last time someone said they cherished his existence, valued his opinion, considered his feelings. 

The moment he thought he was overwhelmed his brother decided to burst a dam with a tender touch and tender word. 

Dick took his brother’s hands in his own, gently rubbing small scars and callouses knuckles, palms and fingertips. A touch of understanding loving one, that has gone through pain. A touch, that seeks to soothe, not to hurt. Jayson almost gagged from these new (or maybe long forgotten) feelings. 

“I love every second I spend with you, and I’m so sorry for every wrong move, Jay, I’m sorry, I wasn’t there when you needed me the most.,” he whispered. 

Either from deep exhaustion, or annoying backache, or his confession (maybe from all of it) his body was slowly shutting down. He let himself close his eyes and waited for the other boy’s response. 

He expected accusation, maybe some barb, or, at the very best, a cold admission. 

What he didn’t expect, was a warm hand, that cupped the back of his neck, bringing his forehead in touch with other’s 

An act of forgiveness, of acceptance, of trust. 

Dick choked back a sob. 

They stayed like this for a while, just breathing. Just existing. 

The fragile moment was ruined with such intense shouting pain, Dick saw stars. In just a half of a second, the acrobat jerked and curled into himself in hope to ease the pain. It seems like he only made it worse. 

A second later Jason was hit with two things: his bother’s head against his own and the realization that said brother was still hurting. 

“Shit, Dickhead, you and your stupid selflessness!” He hurriedly turned the elder on one side in order to relieve back from taking any pressure. Only now he realized, that Dick hasn’t received any medical attention yet. Cursing, he went to fetch some strong pain medication and a special balsam Alfred, bless him, made for such cases. Exactly 2 minutes later he was back in the room, and he swears to God, there is no way his brother has bones if he can curl into such small ball being 187 sm high. Or maybe it’s just one of the consequences of being a circus monkey, who knows. As he got close, he could see fine tremors wracking the boy’s frame. Not good, not good at all. “Dick, come on, I’ve got a medicine from your disease that’s called ‘lack of self-preservation’, so be a good Golden Boy as you are and take it”. 

The gaze of silent anguish slides slowly in the direction of Jason’s voice as if in disorientation. Too out of it now, thinks Jason. He forces the acrobat to take the pills and opens the jar with magical balm. 

But the tremors are getting worse. 

And Dick starts to moan low and so softly trying to hide how much he actually hurts. His breathing getting shorter and more shallow. 

“You know, for a big bird you have chicken brains.” The anger is familiar ground, it’s easier for second Robin to fall into that routine, to go through situations like this, even though the underlying reasons for it are sincere concern and solicitude. It’s was always easier to be angry, than to be anxious. Anger is a very universal mask indeed. 

But now as Jason’s walls of years of hurt and loneliness and rage are broken (thanks to this parody of family, especially to its most-annoying-oldest-brother) he can manoeuvre through different alternatives now. He has a choice now in what to feel. That means that he is still doesn’t orient in this emotional thingy, but seeing Dick in such state sparks in him a feeling he doesn’t have a name yet. It’s so strong he wants to give in but does not know where the start line is. 

And so, he stars with the simplest - he gives into instinct. 

And that instinct is to protect. And that’s when an idea showed up. 

A soft whimper broke his thoughts. 

“Dickie-bird, I have to try one thing, but you need to trust me in this one, okay?” When he didn’t hear any answer, he repeated the question. This time he did hear a breathless “yeah”.

He scooped some ointment and started to apply it onto the acrobat’s back with the touch oh so lightly. Even with a feather-light touch, Dick got only more tense (was it even possible now?), Jason could almost hear the muscles contraction. “Dickhead, it won’t work if you don’t relax. Don’t you trust me?” He asked with a fake accusing tone, hoping that it will fumble his brother’s treads of conscience. ‘Bastard, why it’s always so hard to be just a decent human being’. This instant Jason felt a slight relaxation underneath his fingers. He didn’t doubt it, really. 

A feather-light touch, at first slow and uncertain gradually became confident. A skill practised never leaves even a decrepit mind, even if the said skill was not used in a very long time. 

Around 45 minutes later tension left Dick completely, leaving a weary body and weary soul. And only then he could to breath normally again. Jason was sure his brother was out cold now, and it wasn’t a surprise, surely. Just as he started to rise up from the bed a weak hand grasped his in attempt to stop. Jason’s brows shot up. The worst was over, and so he let himself return to his usual witty self. “You know, the after-party is extra paid”. Something close to laugh escaped the elder’s lips, although it resembled more like a puff. He opened his eyes just a slit, usually bright blue now dulled with exhaustion. 

“Stay?” 

Oh, just look at that - the brutal and mighty Red Hood can’t resist (maybe he was tired of resistance) a sweet whisper from his sly manipulative older brother. What a shame. 

Cursing, he carefully laid on the other side of the bed, no to disturb the other. 

He should have known. 

It was a trap. 

From the very beginning, it was a trap. 

So achingly slowly Dick raised himself on elbows and moved towards the poor deceived soul and didn’t stop until he plopped himself on board chest. He sighed contentedly. It took all of Jason’s will not make other’s live easier and break his spine. Eventually, he accepted his defeat and with some vengeance plan in mind, he fell in light slumber. 

There was no peace for them. 

He was roused with trembling next to him. No time to put a mask of indifference “Dickie, you okay?” 

“Cold”

“No shit, Sherlock, you’re laying shirtless!” 

After a hoody on, he still shivered. And then Jason remembers, that was probably due to double-acting Alfred’s balm. At first, it smooths and cools the pain with menthol, that warms you up with hot pepper to help with the blood flow. It seems, that balm has finished working, and now Dick was left with a feeling of an icy cold back. 

Red Hood was getting pathetic (humane).  
Jason Todd was getting weaker (compassionate). 

He wrapped Dick in the embrace, not too tight not to hurt his sensitive muscles, and started to massage his back again, now not in a therapeutic way, but in comforting, warming one. 

“Where did you learned to do that?” His brother asked. “At the League. There was one healer..” he trailed, lost in distant memory perhaps. Dick knew better than to claw at old, yet not healed wounds. He enveloped Jayson in a Dick Graysons Hug™ and, taking advantage of this moment, buried his face in his brother’s neck. 

Jason could only sigh heavily. 

His hands never stopped massaging other’s back. 

“I love you, Little Wing”

With these words, something cracked somewhere deep in his chest. Something, that was sealed under rods of hurt and grief and anger. Something, that he thought died so long ago. Something, that got him killed in the first place. 

He buried his face in his brother’s soft curls and held him tightly. 

The pain is insignificant if I still can have you by my side.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for finding some time to read this small piece! I hope you enjoyed it. First work ever written, constructive criticism is appreciated! Also, Engrishh is not my first language. 
> 
> I just wanted these children to be happy


End file.
